Leave Bitterness Behind

I once read somewhere that you could tell a bitter person by their face.
They are angry and/or unhappy and it shows. How many times do you
see someone in traffic or on the street and they have a pinched or sour
expression? And whey they talk, their speech is usually rather biting.

Bitterness can ruin our lives, but more importantly, it can ruin the lives
of those around us. In Genesis 33 we read about Esau and his right to be
angry with his brother. However, with God's help, he was able to let the
bitterness go rather than let it consume him. Think about Job's plight;
and yet he remained faithful to God. I always liked the verse in Job,
Chapter 5 that said "happy is the man whom God correcteth." And
Helen Keller was able to say, "I thank God for my handicaps. For
through them, I have found myself, my work, and my God." I've often
said that some of the hardships I suffered as a child made me who I
am and I wouldn't change a thing. It's what we are able to overcome
that makes us the parent we want to be, the wife or husband we want to
be, or the person we want to be. A life without suffering would keep
us from developing the skills we need to overcome and prosper as a
person.

I can remember when I first started working in downtown Marion.
It seemed everywhere I went, someone stopped me on the
street and said something about my smile. I never went to the
Methodist church that they all didn't say something about my smile.
What they didn't realize was that it was those very people that gave
me that smile. Sometimes it our struggles that cause us to develop
into who we want to be. Isn't that a great concept?

I got an e-mail yesterday that remarked about a picture they saw of
me and my smile. It took me back to those memories of people
that made me smile almost 35 years ago. It reminded me of all my
struggles before and since. It made me question why I let others
opinions rob me of my smile.

Yesterday I read something on Facebook that surprised me a little.
It was a posting by someone I think is a terrific person,parent, and
friend. It took me aback a little. It reminded me of an editorial I
read almost 5 years ago. I can remember being so shocked. The
writer was listing all the reasons we should vote for George Bush
for a second term. I was so stunned. In hindsight, I know why I
reacted like that. I was thinking about the former publisher and all
our talks and thinking how different this view was from his and
his family's long history in the publishing business. I found it hard to
comprehend how a husband and father could be supportive of a
president with such flaws and serious mistakes in his first four years.
I just couldn't understand how he could want this person to be
our leader and write history for his children's future. I happened
to run into the writer's wife and said something about how much
the editorial surprised me and she said, "why?" I was shocked.
Since then, I have realized that I am often shocked by other's
opinions and why. I try to analyze or figure out how and why they
could come to that conclusion and I take it personally. Needless
to say, that's not a good way to live your life. I'm making a conscious
effort to change. And in fairness, I know I'm influenced and molded
by my past and how it colored my viewpoint, just as they are.

Truthfully, God can help us get past, get through, or get OVER anything.
He can mend our hearts and help us experience healing. The Methodist
church provided me with the love I needed as a child, the answers I
needed in order to overcome, and the people that stood for real
answers on how to live an abundant life.

I had reason to remember a wonderful memory about R. C. and Louise
Hamilton this week. I have shared this memory with them on several
occasions. Several of my friends from the Methodist church know this
story, but it seemed so relevant this week. When I was about seven
years old, a neighbor had picked me up and taken me to the Methodist
church for Sunday school and church. As I was leaving, my mom said
she would be parked outside to pick me up after the services. When I
opened the car door and got in, my mom was crying. I asked her what
was wrong and she said nothing. She turned to me and said I was
watching R. C. and Louise Hamilton come out the side door and thinking
about their lives as parents and people. She said if I wanted to have
a successful life and be able to weather the storms of life, I should do like
them and stay involved and active in church. I've never forgotten
that. I can still see Louise's face the first time I told her this story and
R. C. and I discussed it when I was 20, 30 and even 3 years ago.

They had a storm this week, but they had the strength and anchor to
weather it.